AID TO ARTISANS 

Aid to Artisans create economic opportunities for artisan groups around the world where livelihoods, communities, and craft traditions are marginal or at risk.

ATA blend a passion for the deep-rooted cultures and handmade traditions of the developing world with a commitment to building profitable businesses. Environmentally sound practices are at the foundation of our methodology. We recognize that we can only bring lasting economic growth if we provide an integrated approach to product development, business skills training, market access and eco-effective processes.

ATA accomplish this by working together with partners in the countries where we work and in the markets we connect artisans with, leaving behind an infrastructure that continues to support the artisan community long after we complete our mentoring.

What ATA Does / Small Grants

Aid to Artisans makes approximately 50 modest grants each year to craft-based associations worldwide. TypicallyAid to Artisans makes approximately 50 modest grants each year to craft-based associations worldwide. Typically, these grants range from $500 to $1,500 and are used to help these groups purchase much needed equipment and materials to improve or increase their craft production.

A grant was given to the Bedouin women weavers of Bani Hamida in Jordan. Typical of ATA technical grants the artisans purchased equipment, a stainless steel dye tank that prevents discoloration and dyes stay true.

For example, recent ATA grants helped:

• Bhutanese refugee women in Nepal buy 10 sewing machines and yarn for their fledgling weaving and tailoring program
• A group of unemployed young people from a Bolivian barrio to purchase a band saw, burning system and compressor for their wood inlay and marquetry workshop
• Ten women knitters in Paraguay create a materials bank allowing them to buy wool in quantity
• A cooperative of eight women and six girls in Mali, West Africa, to build a workshop where they could dye locally-made cotton cloth by a traditional method using leaves of the galaman plant.

The leverage of these grants can be quite dramatic. Five hundred dollars invested in materials or equipment for a struggling craft cooperative can create permanent employment and income for many families in developing countries. Since ATA initiated its Grants Program in 1981, we have awarded over 300 grants with an aggregate value exceeding $300,000.

Funding Considerations

ATA made a small grant to Cari Clement's organization for work in Rwanda with women knitters. With her background as a woman entrepreneur whose own knitting business had once been a small start-up, she believed she had found a way to help.

Only established artisan groups or cooperatives will be considered. Newly formed organizations and individual artists are not eligible for grants under this program.

Crafts must have an art element and be of cultural significance. Photographs of the craft products are required.

Craft groups who are already established with Aid to Artisans through previous grants or through ATA project participation may apply for a Marketing Support Grant. This new category of grant, in the same financial range as above, might cover trade show costs, product development or production assistance

Grants are reviewed and awarded twice a year. Application deadlines are March 15 and August 15. For more information about the ATA Grants Program, please e-mail ATA at small_grants@aidtoartisans.org.

For further inf visit:http://www.aidtoartisans.org/what_we_do/small_grants/